Leeds United man pumps up rival, Tyler Adams' full-time debate and Aston Villa off-camera moments - YEP 3/10/22

The full-time whistle wasn’t welcomed or celebrated by everyone of a Leeds United persuasion inside Elland Road after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.

By Graham Smyth

Although for the 10 men left standing in white shirts, some bent at the waist having put everything into a clean sheet, it was a better result than it would have been had they finished the game at full strength, it was a grim satisfaction showing on faces.

Here’s the YEP take on a frustrating afternoon for just about everyone.

Good day

Patrick Bamford

Okay he didn’t look sharp or even close to full fitness, and he was restricted to a cameo, but he was at the heart of two of Leeds’ best chances. The strength, balance and directness he showed to run past defenders and force a shooting opportunity is something Leeds badly need in tight games. And his desire to get into the area to cause problems created a big opportunity for Mateusz Klich. The main positive though is that he returned to Premier League football. Jesse Marsch needs his number nine this season in a big way.

Robin Koch

The centre-half has put together a solid start to the season and against Aston Villa he was, again, quietly effective.

Bad day

Robin Koch/football

Another bang to the head that left him down on the turf being assessed for concussion. It might be an occupational hazard for a centre-half who puts his head where it hurts, but it’s never nice to see and the questions over the adequacy of football’s concussion protocols will not go away any time soon. Koch was at the heart of such a debate earlier this year, too, after a head collision against Manchester United.

Luis Sinisterra

The first yellow might have been a little soft and other players might have got away with similar or even worse tackles, but when you’ve received that first yellow you simply cannot prevent a free-kick from being taken. Risking a second yellow with a foul that stops a dangerous counter attack is one thing, getting your marching orders in this manner is madness. A lesson that must be learned, for a player Leeds need on the pitch.

Stuart Attwell

When Jesse Marsch has no comment to make, it says so much.

Off-camera moments

Jesse Marsch familiarised himself with his West Stand vantage point in the press box prior to the game and then returned just before kick-off, sending his security detail for a hot dog with a nifty, sudden left turn. The head coach was far more restrained and conservative in his behaviour than he would have been on the touchline and perhaps it was best, for his blood pressure if nothing else, that he was not within earshot of Attwell or his officiating team given how the game went.

One of the more intriguing aspects of a largely forgettable afternoon was the sight of Joe Gelhardt being put through his paces before the game and prior to the warm-up even, by fitness coach Pierre Barrieu. The youngster appeared to be moving freely, without injury, and yet was not in the matchday squad. Marsch revealed later that he had simply decided not to include the youngster on the bench.

Mateusz Klich took the chance to catch up with Polish national team peer and friend Jan Bednarek before the teams began their warm-up. The pair, who enjoyed a pre-game chat when the centre-back was a Southampton player, also exchanged a few words as they warmed up in front of the West Stand later in the afternoon.

Around the same time Willy Gnonto received his first proper welcome from fans in the West and North Stands as he came out to warm up and stretch down by the touchline.

Gnonto did not get his Premier League debut, due in part to the way the game panned out, but Luke Ayling got back on the pitch and was pumped up on the touchline by Rasmus Kristensen, who made way.

With no Marsch in the technical area there was a noticeable reduction in the touchline action, but Steven Gerrard did aim a dress shoe at a water bottle as his second half frustration got the better of him.

It wasn’t a completely quiet day for fourth official Tony Harrington, though. He had to do Attwell’s job for him, leaving the area between the dugouts to go and usher Ludwig Augustinsson off the pitch as the Villa debutant made his way off injured.

Klich, meanwhile, was doing his job and irritating everyone around him in a black shirt. Twice he ran to fetch the ball for a Villa restart, only to toss it away, and then there was an extra nudge after a foul and a big grin. Just as Attwell failed to curb time wasting, he gave Klich free rein and the Leeds man too full advantage.

At full-time there were a few who might have wanted to speak with Attwell over his performance but most Leeds men likely lacked the necessary energy for an ultimately futile exchange. Tyler Adams still had enough left in him to engage in an animated and lengthy debate with assistant head coach Rene Maric as the pair walked around the pitch applauding the fans. The American midfielder looked crestfallen to the point of anger, at the end of an afternoon that no one will be in a hurry to revisit or remember.